<div id="readability-page-1"><p>Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB - Get Free Report)'s share price was down 7.6% on Thursday after an insider sold shares in the company. The company traded as low as $32.64 and last traded at $32.2070. Approximately 291,134 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 74% from the average daily volume of 1,116,029 shares. The stock had previously closed at $34.86.</p><ul><li>AI &amp; Quantum's Next Big Winners: 3 Small-Cap Stocks to Watch in 2026</li></ul><p>Specifically,  Director Mitchell G. Tyson sold 5,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.21, for a total transaction of $176,050.00. Following the sale, the director owned 43,199 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,521,036.79. The trade was a 10.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities &amp; Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Mary Paladino sold 11,250 shares of Photronics stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.11, for a total transaction of $394,987.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 23,820 shares of the company's stock, valued at $836,320.20. This trade represents a 32.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In other Photronics news, Director Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.90, for a total transaction of $339,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 465,850 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,792,315. This represents a 2.10% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. </p><h2>Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades</h2><p>A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of Photronics from a &#34;hold&#34; rating to a &#34;strong-buy&#34; rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings  reaffirmed a &#34;hold (c+)&#34; rating on shares of Photronics in a research report on Monday, December 29th. DA Davidson boosted their price target on Photronics from $30.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a &#34;buy&#34; rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Craig Hallum raised their price objective on Photronics from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a &#34;buy&#34; rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Photronics from a &#34;hold&#34; rating to a &#34;buy&#34; rating in a research report on Saturday, September 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned  a Buy rating and one  has assigned  a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of &#34;Buy&#34; and a consensus price target of $43.50.</p><ul><li>Buy the Dip: Top Tech Stocks Analysts Say Are Undervalued</li></ul><p><b>Check Out Our Latest Report on PLAB</b></p><h2>More Photronics News</h2><p>Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:</p><ul>   <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Q4 results and Q1 guidance beat expectations — Photronics reported stronger-than-expected Q4 EPS and set Q1 FY26 EPS guidance of $0.51–$0.59, giving investors confidence in near-term profitability and supporting higher analyst targets. <i></i><span>Earnings &amp; guidance summary</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Analyst upgrades and higher price targets — Multiple firms (DA Davidson, Craig Hallum, Zacks and others) have raised ratings/targets (consensus target ~ $43.50), which underpins constructive investor sentiment. <i></i><span>Analyst coverage &amp; outlook</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Management hires and board addition could improve go-to-market and governance — Photronics named Jeff Catlin SVP, Global Sales and added Michelle Almeida to the board, moves that may help execution and investor confidence. <i></i><span>Catlin hire</span> <i></i><span>Almeida appointment</span></li>    <li><span>Positive Sentiment: </span>Upcoming investor access — Management will present at the Needham Growth Conference (Jan. 14), offering a near-term forum to reinforce growth drivers and guidance to investors. <i></i><span>Needham conference notice</span></li>    <li><span>Neutral Sentiment: </span>CTO transition and valuation analyses provide context — Recent coverage reviews a planned CTO transition and valuation after the share run; useful for medium-term thesis but not an immediate earnings catalyst. <i></i><span>CTO transition analysis</span></li>    <li><span>Negative Sentiment: </span>Clustered insider selling this week is weighing on the stock — multiple directors (Kang Jyh Lee, Mary Paladino, Mitchell Tyson) sold sizable blocks (5k–20k shares each) across Jan. 2–6; repeated director sales can create short-term supply and investor concern. <i></i><span>Insider selling report</span></li> </ul><h2>Photronics Stock Down 7.1%</h2><ul><li>Photronics Stock Setting Up Next Leg Higher</li></ul><p>The stock has a market cap of $1.91 billion, a PE ratio of 14.06 and a beta of 1.52. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $27.57 and a 200 day moving average price of $23.78. </p><p>Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, December 10th. The semiconductor company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.47 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $215.77 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $204.54 million. Photronics had a return on equity of 7.87% and a net margin of 16.06%.Photronics's revenue for the quarter was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.59 earnings per share. Photronics has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.510-0.590 EPS.  On average, research analysts predict that  Photronics, Inc. will post 2.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. </p><h2>Institutional Trading of Photronics</h2><p>A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in  Photronics by 699.0% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,305,610 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $52,914,000 after buying an additional 2,017,052 shares in the last quarter.  LSV Asset Management grew its position in shares of  Photronics by 17.2% during the 2nd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 2,607,874 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $49,106,000 after acquiring an additional 383,355 shares during the period.  Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new stake in shares of  Photronics during the 3rd quarter valued at about $8,416,000.  Qube Research &amp; Technologies Ltd increased its stake in shares of  Photronics by 123.8% in the 3rd quarter. Qube Research &amp; Technologies Ltd now owns 233,498 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $5,359,000 after purchasing an additional 129,152 shares in the last quarter.  Finally, American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in  Photronics by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,306,176 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $43,425,000 after purchasing an additional 109,909 shares during the period. 88.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. </p><h2>Photronics Company Profile</h2> (Get Free Report)<p>Photronics, Inc is a leading global supplier of photomask products used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, flat panel displays, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and advanced packaging applications. Photomasks, also known as reticles, are critical templates that carry the precise circuit patterns required for semiconductor lithography processes. The company offers a comprehensive range of mask solutions, including binary masks, attenuated phase-shift masks, reticles for micro-optics, and specialized products for high‐resolution applications.  </p><p>Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Brookfield, Connecticut, Photronics has grown through organic expansion and strategic investments in high‐end lithography technology.</p><h2>Featured Articles</h2><ul><li>Five stocks we like better than Photronics</li><li>A month before the crash</li><li>Do not delete, read immediately</li><li>How a Family Trust May Be Able To Help Preserve Your Wealth</li><li>NEW LAW: Congress Approves Setup For Digital Dollar?</li><li>YDES Could Be 2026's Biotech Breakthrough</li></ul><p><em>This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.</em></p><h2>Should You Invest $1,000 in Photronics Right Now?</h2><p>Before you consider Photronics, you'll want to hear this.</p><p>MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Photronics wasn't on the list.</p><p>While Photronics currently has a Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.</p><p>View The Five Stocks Here</p>                  </div>

PLAB

<p>Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) shares fell 7.6% after insider selling, with Director Mitchell G. Tyson selling 5,000 shares and Director Mary Paladino selling 11,250 shares. The stock traded as low as $32.64, down from a previous close of $34.86. Despite this, analysts have raised ratings and price targets, with a consensus target of $43.50. The company reported strong Q4 results and positive Q1 guidance, which may support investor confidence. However, the recent insider sales have raised concerns among investors.</p>

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Stock Price Down 7.6% After Insider Selling